Cult of the cat in ancient Egypt
Scientists believe that the first domestic cats appeared on the territory of Ancient Egypt. The Egyptians revered them and put them on a par with the gods. They believed that these animals were of divine origin.
Cat mummies.
According to records in manuscripts, temples were built in honor of cats. After death, they were embalmed and mummified. Archaeologists have found many similar mummies in the pyramids.
According to legend, cats were given to Egypt by the gods from Sirius. The priests believed that there was a whole civilization of creatures similar to domestic cats. These are highly spiritual beings close to the gods from Egyptian mythology. Perhaps they meant a parallel world or another planet.
It is no coincidence that the goddess Bast was depicted as a woman with the head of a cat. The Book of the Dead, found in Egypt, indicates that the cat is one of the forms of the god Ra. The cat creatures did not have a physical body and appeared to the priests in the form of translucent ghosts. They have two appearances - cat and human.
Legends say that cats conveyed the requests of the priests to the gods. Therefore, the attitude towards them developed accordingly. Cats were surrounded with luxury and were not driven out of churches during the sacraments, because this way the gods would hear prayers and answer them.
Found mummy of a cat in a tomb.
In Ancient Egypt, cats had access to pyramids and temple premises where priests were not allowed. There was no restriction on freedom; the cat could go wherever he wanted. Every temple had at least one cat.
During excavations in Egypt, small palaces were found; they were clearly not intended for people. Scientists have concluded: palaces were built for the cats of rich people. Only they had the right to have this animal in Ancient Egypt.
Not only legends and religious views became the reason for such veneration of cats in Egypt. These are also useful animals on the farm. They protected warehouses and barns, houses and temples from rats and mice.
When a cat died, mourning was observed for it, as for a deceased relative. Killing a cat living in a temple or palace was punishable by execution. A street woman was killed - the accused was sentenced to corporal punishment, a fine and general contempt. In 60 BC, Ptolemy banned executions for killing cats.
There were also cat cemeteries. The pharaoh's pets were mummified and buried next to him. The cat cult continued until 390 AD, after which the governors of Byzantium outlawed it.
Thermostat
Have you ever wondered why cats lick themselves so often? They do not always do this to keep their fur in good condition; one of the main functions of licking is thermoregulation. Cats can only sweat through their nose and paw pads, so cooling occurs through the process of evaporation. When licking, the animal wets the fur with saliva, and when it evaporates, cooling occurs. A slightly raised coat will protect the cat from the cold, allowing it to retain heat. The coat can also be slicked smoothly; this position protects from the heat.
Energy and magical abilities of cats
Observations of the cat have led many breeders to the conclusion: she is smarter than she is thought to be. According to one legend, the dog was trained by people, the cat was given as a gift by representatives of an alien civilization. Christian legends say that cats appeared among people after the Great Flood. There were none on Noah's ship.
Cats have become habitual inhabitants of houses and apartments, and no one thinks about the magical abilities of cats. According to ancient superstitions, a cat is a real psychic. He sees the aura of people and objects, feels the energy of space.
They sense geopathogenic zones in the house and prefer them as a place to relax. They are fueled by negative energy, and it does not harm them.
They know how to cleanse the biofield of accumulated negativity. When a cat cannot cope with neutralizing the negative or feels damage to its biofield, it leaves the house. Therefore, his disappearance is a bad omen.
Everyone knows the ancient custom - the cat is the first to be let into a new house. You cannot place a bed in the place where he will lie down. The fact is that the animal will accurately determine the “negative” zone in the house. And he won’t sleep there - constant negativity doesn’t suit him. They spend time in geopathogenic zones, but like to sleep in “positive” ones. Where the purr sleeps is positive energy. But the place where he lies and observes the surrounding reality, tidies up his fur, carries negativity.
In the old days there was a terrible omen - the first person to enter a new house would die. It was as if the building was charging for its service, taking the life of one member of the household. This is another reason to let the cat into the house first. He is not afraid of evil spirits. They are able to communicate with her and come to an agreement, make friends with the brownie and help conduct business, drive away devils and demons, show by their attitude towards the guests that they have come to do evil.
The psychic abilities of domestic cats do not end there. There are many mystical stories about cats that tell about the healing of their owners. As mentioned above, these animals take away negativity and then get rid of it. This is not only damage or the evil eye, pathogenic radiation of the earth or a flow of negative energy. Cats also cope with the owner’s illness - they lie down on the sore spots, and it recedes. Anyone who has a cat does not suffer from arthritis, arthrosis, headaches and blood pressure.
Science also speaks about the healing abilities of these pets. There is a separate medical technique - feline therapy, treatment by communicating with cats. It’s not about energy, although it won’t be possible to eliminate that either. A cat’s purring, the animal’s body temperature, as well as the electrostatic field that is formed from friction with the fur also have a healing effect.
These animals are able to read the thoughts of their owners. Cat lovers notice that cats come to calm loved ones when grief has happened. Fully participate in the emotional side of people's lives. They know the future by reading it from space. They are not able to tell about him, but they sense the danger that threatens the owners and save him.
There are stories about how a cat woke up people the night before a cataclysm and thereby saved them. She senses the onset of an earthquake before a person does. It is a common occurrence when a cat wakes up its owners when there is a fire, gas leak or other serious trouble in the house.
Ancient superstitions say that it is impossible to drive away a cat that has “strayed” to the house. She appears to ward off trouble. They don’t come to people to find a warm home and a plate of food. They pursue other goals. Superstitions say that it appears from another dimension to protect. Many people think that they personally decide to pick up a kitten from the street or get a purebred representative of the cat family. But it was not you who chose, but they chose you.
Mood indicator
We call the eyes the mirror of the soul because they can often help us understand a person’s state. With cats, everything is exactly the same - you can tell by the eyes whether the cat is angry, ready to play, happy or hostile. The shape of the pupils also speaks volumes:
- narrowed - the pet is busy, watching something or angry. For an accurate understanding, you should pay attention to his body language;
- dilated - the cat’s mood is playful, but if the pupils are very dilated, then the animal is scared.
Japanese cat for good luck
In Japan, domesticated felines are feared and respected. What causes fear? In the East, a cat is a creature that can contact evil spirits. Japanese folklore ascribes to him the abilities of an energy vampire. Cats control the desire to feed on other people's energy.
Maneki-neko.
The Japanese consider cats to be the patrons of merchants. In souvenir shops today there is Maneki-neko - the bringer of good luck, or money cat. This is a porcelain or ceramic figurine of a cat with its front paw raised vertically. Antique samples are made of stone.
Today, such lucky cats are a constant attribute of most Japanese stores. People believe that they bring money, attract customers and bring good luck to entrepreneurs. It is not surprising that, along with other oriental talismans, Maneki-neko has become popular in Russia.
Cats were revered not only in Ancient Egypt. In the Land of the Rising Sun they were also respected. The first cats in this country belonged to the imperial family and had the status and privileges of courtiers.
Keen Hearing
Cats' excellent hearing gives them the ability to detect sound waves in the range from 30 to 80,000 hertz. Therefore, it is not difficult for them to hear vibrations or catch prey even in the dark, and all this is thanks to the large number of nerve endings. The shape of the auricle is also of considerable importance, as it allows you to capture more sounds, while the eardrum softens sounds that are too loud and harsh. There are people who like to play their favorite music for their pets. In fact, it is difficult for cats to perceive it due to the fact that it corresponds to the frequency of our heartbeat, which is different from a cat's.
The cat is an animal with a dual essence
Indian Buddhists have a parable about the duality of a cat. She talks about Buddha's funeral. One impudent rat managed to get to the sacred lamp and began to lick the oil. Those present noticed this. But people were confused and did not know how to react to the impudence. The cat understood what to do. She grabbed the rat and ate it.
Since then, attitudes towards cats in India have been controversial. On the one hand, the cat protected the sacred oil from the encroachments of a dirty animal. Therefore, it was considered a protector against rodents, whose invasion leads to the destruction of the barn or the desecration of sacred objects by rats or mice.
But on the other hand, the cat violated one of the main commandments of the Buddha. It goes like this: all living beings should love each other. The cat, despite good intentions, actually committed murder. Despite the logical nature of the action and the fact that wildlife is inherently cruel, Indian Buddhists are still wary of these animals today.
According to Buddhist wisdom, there is another reason for mistrust of cats. These are nocturnal animals, and a person does not know for sure with whom they are friends when the owners are sleeping. Over the centuries, a stereotype has developed - evil things happen at night, and nocturnal animals are associated with the forces of evil.
Antennas
If a cat finds itself in a dark and quiet place, it will not be able to navigate using its eyes and ears. In such cases, they use whiskers or, in other words, vibrissae, which act as antennas when orienting themselves in space. A cat's face usually has 12 hard vibrissae on each side. These hairs have a thicker base and their roots are much deeper compared to other hairs. Also, the roots of the vibrissae have a large number of nerve endings, thanks to which cats can easily determine the temperature, wind, and even understand whether it is possible to crawl through the hole.
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For centuries, people have attributed magical powers to cats and associated them with gods, witches and witchcraft. Different nations have legends about cats and their magical abilities. In some religions, cats are considered sacred animals, bringing both happiness and misfortune.
The most famous patron of cats is, perhaps, the Egyptian goddess Bast, who had the body of a man and the head of a cat.
Cats were so revered in Egypt that killing them was a serious crime, and when a cat living in the house died, all mourning rituals were observed. Cats often lived in temples, and there was even a feeding ritual; stray cats were greeted with honor, domestic cats literally ate at the same table with the family. Cat amulets were common, and dead cats were mummified and buried in special sarcophagi.
The Greeks believed that the goddess Diana often took the form of a cat. Therefore, cats were under special protection.
In Scandinavia, cats were harnessed to the chariot of Freya, also Freyia, the blonde-haired and blue-eyed goddess of love, procreation and fertility. Among the Celts, the goddess Ceridwen was served by white cats, who helped her in affairs on Earth.
In Ancient Rome, the cat symbolized freedom and independence; it always accompanied the goddess of freedom Libertas and was depicted next to her.
Cats are still surrounded by an aura of mystery; it is often believed that sorcerers keep cats for their own purposes. Perhaps the fact that their name was consonant with the name of adherents of the heretical Cathar movement did a disservice to cats in those troubled times. In addition, the devil appeared to them in the form of a cat. It is worth noting, however, that during the Inquisition, many small animals - dogs, mice, rats, toads - were suspected of having connections with witches. There was a strong belief that witches could turn into cats, so sometimes there were even trials of witches “in the form of cats.”
In 1718, William Montgomery claimed that many cats gathered near his house at night and spoke human language. After he killed two of them and maimed one, it was rumored that two old women were found dead the next morning, and one was found badly beaten.
In Japan, as well as in many other nations, there are common stories about the ability of cats to turn into people. Werecats - nekomatae - were distinguished by a very harmful disposition, and a person who angered them risked his life. The roots of stories about werewolves literally go back thousands of years - a figurine of a man with the head of a cat was found in Germany. Her age is estimated at 32 thousand years!
In different countries, there are many contradictory signs associated with cats. For example, in Britain and Australia it is believed that black cats bring happiness; in some provinces of these countries they believe that white cats bring bad luck. In many European countries and the USA, on the contrary, a black cat portends misfortune, and in Russia it protects the house from thieves.
In England, tortoiseshell cats bring happiness to their owners, and in Russia - blue cats...
In the old days, sailors had a belief that a black cat settling on a ship was a very lucky sign. Kicking out the cat was tantamount to kicking out happiness. Particularly lucky were the ships on which there lived a completely black cat, without white markings. At the same time, they avoided saying the word “cat” at sea - this could lead to trouble! A cat falling overboard meant the immediate approach of a storm. The sailors could not even think of leaving the cat on a sinking ship, trying to the last possible extent to save her during a shipwreck. In Yorkshire, it was believed that if a black cat lives on the shore with a wife, then nothing threatens her husband at sea. This sometimes even led to cat theft.
The ability of cats to sense danger has not surprised anyone for a long time. In the towns and villages on the slopes of Vesuvius on the eastern shore of the Bay of Naples, there is not a household without cats. Over many centuries, life has taught people whose houses are built on the slopes of an active volcano to rely on the instincts of their furry pets more than on the predictions of scientists. During the Second World War, cats often saved their owners. This ability of cats turned out to be so valuable that a special medal was established in Europe with the words engraved on it: “We also serve our homeland.” The medal was awarded to the cats that saved the greatest number of human lives.
Cat fur and bones were often included in amulets, and were also intended to enhance the effect of many spells. Stroking the tail of a black cat, for example, was used to treat styes, and the tail of a tortoiseshell cat helped against warts, as did three drops of blood smeared on a wart.
It was believed that if a sick person was bathed in the water in which a cat had previously been washed, he would pass on his illness to the cat, which would take it out of the house.
Each cat was given two names: one real, the other to confuse the devil. Then, in general, it was believed that knowing the real name helped dark forces gain power over a person (or cat). By giving the cat two names, one well-known, and the second a real one, never uttered in front of strangers, people tried to protect the cat that went outside from the machinations of evil forces.
Medieval writings have been preserved in which it is stated that witches knew how to make an ointment from the eyes of cats, with the help of which one could gain the ability to see demons. Until now, many people believe that cats are capable of not only seeing ghosts (in the Russian tradition - brownies), but can even be friends with them and play with them.
There are many folk superstitions and beliefs associated with cats.
For example, in the north of France they believed that if a cat entered a bakery, the dough would not work. Similarly, in Bulgaria, the presence of a cat meant failure in cheese making. In some places, the cat was first combed with a new comb to prevent the appearance of lice and hair loss, and before putting the baby in the cradle, the cat was allowed to lie in it.
In Altmark (Germany), a peasant woman made indentations in the dough - “cat's paws” to protect against witches. The same “cat’s paws” were done in Loches (France), when the Christmas pie is baked, the boys and girls retire and break pieces of the pie. The one who discovers a “paw” made with a thimble in his piece kisses the chosen one as a sign that the wedding will take place next year. Similar customs existed in the Eastern Carpathians - with buns, in Romanian Bukovina - with pies, in Romania and Moldova - with pieces of bread.
By feeding bread, meat, soup or milk to a cat, it was believed that a sick person was transferring his illness to the cat. You can also transfer a disease from a person to a cat by crawling through a cat's hole (usually by casting a healing spell), or by bathing in cat water, that is, in water that the cat drank or in which it was drowned. A patient with tuberculosis should receive food from a cat dish.
To get rid of the curse, residents of Vienna advised letting the cat lick its eyes. Residents of Switzerland let the cat lick the milk foam after milking to protect the cow's udder from disease. The evil caused by enchanted food could be transferred to the cat if it was given a small taste of this food before eating - this was the opinion held in Germany and India. Moreover, the meat of a black domestic cat makes one invulnerable to evil spells, just as eating cat meat and drinking cat blood in general helps with various diseases.
The Arabs closely associated the cat with eroticism: a man who drank the blood of a black domestic cat became a favorite of women. Powder made from cat afterbirth was recommended against infertility, and a talisman made from a kitten's umbilical cord brought wealth. If the woman of the Fulbe people (West Africa) who wears this talisman has not yet had children, then they will certainly appear soon.
The "great medicine" made from the placenta of three cats to facilitate childbirth is known in Sumatra. On the other hand, eating a cat's brain served as an evil spell, separating lovers. It was also believed that whoever tasted it would go crazy. Among the German gypsies, eating cat meat was considered a sin; After this, the Basques did not dare to eat bread for 24 hours, and the Venetian was immediately excommunicated from the church. Bans on cat meat also existed in Thailand, among the Persians, of course, among the Egyptians, and today they exist among the Baya tribe in Cameroon and among the Moroccans.
Syrian Muslims had an extremely kind attitude towards cats, since they believed that cats protect people. However, you cannot stroke and caress her, otherwise she, not wanting to continue to be ignored by affection, will wish people the loss of their children. While some people specifically lure a cat into the room of a woman in labor to protect her and the baby, others are afraid of her presence there. A pregnant Hungarian woman had to be wary of a push from a cat, otherwise the feline image would be imprinted on the child; a resident of Iceland should not step over a cat in sexual heat, otherwise the child would be born insane or bisexual.
In Hungary, they were afraid of evil sorcerers who on Friday offered food to a nursing mother mixed with the burnt hair of a black cat. If the mother tastes such food, the baby will stop breastfeeding, become thin and die. In Pomerania, evil witchcraft was performed when feeding cats eggs. If you eat an egg bitten by a mouse or cat, then acquired knowledge is lost - this is what Jews and Muslims believed.
Bosnians believed that if a cat stepped over a spread canvas, then a person who died wearing a shirt made from it would certainly become a vampire. On the contrary, in Hungary, a cat is passed through the first shirt sewn for a child so that evil spirits do not harm the child, or a shirt is thrown over a cat so that the boy will be good at climbing trees in the future.
In the Middle Ages, they dipped a witch into water along with her cat, hung an innocent animal for desecration next to a criminal, put child killers and traitors in a sack and drowned them along with the cat, which was supposed to tear them to pieces before drowning with them. Cats roasted over low heat protected against witches. The gift of providence was acquired by a Scot who roasted black cats over a fire for three days and three nights - this custom, the so-called “cat cry,” was practiced in the Hebrides as early as 1750. The French drowned live cats in boxes in order to later find stolen treasures. A cat, sometimes several, in one basket, as representatives of the demon of fertility, was thrown into a sacrificial fire on religious holidays, which was often preceded by giving it ceremonial honors - in Belgium, France, Alsace-Lorraine and Luxembourg, among the island Swedes and in Southern Germany.
This independent animal, “walking on its own,” has long been considered mysterious by humanity. Even in our time, he is credited with magical abilities and is believed to be associated with witchcraft. Many are convinced that the cat receives and transmits information from the other world and those astral sources that are inaccessible to humans. Perhaps this is why so much mysticism is associated with this animal. All countries have their own signs. Often contradictory. Some promise happiness, others warn of troubles.
A person who deliberately offends a cat risks receiving some kind of “nasty” from life in retaliation. This is the best case scenario. The schedule may be different. Up to illness and serious troubles. I know of several cases where cat abusers were seriously punished
Familiar cat owners unanimously declare that their pets have a bewitching and even hypnotic gaze. They are even sometimes frightened by the cat's eyes, which glow in the dark. Looking into a cat's eyes is not recommended; it can lead to serious trouble. A domestic cat often perceives staring as a threat or a sign of aggression and becomes internally wary. It’s not for nothing that cats freeze before a fight and look into each other’s eyes. There have been cases when a cat reacted to a person’s gaze “inappropriately” (from a human point of view). It's best not to make eye contact for a long time. Then the cat will not decide that you are encroaching on its rights.
Street cats do things differently. They calmly hold their gaze, hoping for food.
It is believed that the cat is able to see the brownie. They may even become friends. Noisy night games often wake up cat owners. However, you cannot disperse your friends, otherwise the brownie may get angry. Through the cat he manages to convey the request to the brownie.
Sometimes the cat goes into the far corner and becomes wary. This is explained by the fact that she saw evil spirits there. You need to help your pet drive away the evil spirits. Some people use a broom for this, others read cleansing prayers or spells, and still others do not pay any attention to this situation.
Cats help protect against damage and the evil eye. In order to take advantage of the strong energy of an animal, when you feel danger or hostility, you need to take the animal in your arms and stroke it with your left hand. Definitely on the scruff of the neck. Such affection will strengthen the energetic connection with the cat and provide protection.
If a cat gets scared of an oncoming person and runs in the opposite direction, then you need to immediately step back to the side (left or right) at least a couple of steps. After this, you can continue on your way. Such a simple maneuver insures against failures associated with delays in business, loss of papers and documents, or all kinds of inconsistencies.
Any bride is happy if a cat sneezes next to her. This is a great sign. The marriage promises to be happy, the life together will be long, and the husband will be loving and kind.
A cat sneezes three times - it means the owner has a cold or rain. If the cat “goes crazy”, rolls on the ground, digs the surface, then strong wind and rain are expected. An animal's apparent anxiety is often associated with an approaching storm. A cat meows loudly at night - bad weather can last for several days.
We don’t like the black cat, a symbol of witchcraft and magic. They spit over their shoulder every time a black cat crosses the road. Or they wait until someone else passes first. However, many people love cats of this particular color. A black cat living in a house scares away thieves coveting other people's property. She shares vitality with her owners, sharpens their insight and intuition, and wards off trouble.
Red cats bring prosperity and prosperity to the home. Cats of this color are excellent healers and nannies. They spend a lot of time next to a sick person. Ginger cats do not like moving, because... very attached to their home. It is believed that they are the ones who quickly establish friendly relations with brownies.
Sheltering and warming up a ginger cat is a good thing, promising happiness and prosperity for the family. Girls and unmarried women should be especially interested in this. A ginger cat will not only give you financial stability, but will also miraculously help you meet the desired groom.
Gray cats (especially unkempt ones) can sometimes be unattractive. Then they are less likely to attract attention to themselves. But these animals also give people their love and devotion, which fills their hearts. In some countries, cats and cats of different shades of gray color are given to newlyweds to strengthen family relationships, stability and well-being.
Cats with white fur are loved not only by adherents of lunar magic, healers, but also by aesthetes. These beautiful animals help relieve stress (physical and spiritual) and remove negative energy.
The coat color of the Siamese cat is considered the “royal color”. Animals of this color bring their owners success and fame in youth, health and activity in old age.
Tricolor cats are not only elegant, but also have powerful energy, which is why white magicians love them. Animals with this coat color bring good luck, happiness and joy. One owner of a calico cat told me that she signs contracts and studies documents only when her old cat is lying next to her. For many years, this animal accompanied its owner to... the tax office
Two-colored ones are not only beautiful, but can also be considered a kind of talisman, a talisman for the home.
Cats of a unique tortoiseshell color (not to be confused with tricolor) are suitable primarily for women. They do not harm small children. They say that in the family in which such a cat lives, members of the household have good intuition, and sometimes the gift of clairvoyance. A cat with tortoiseshell fur senses a person’s sore spot and helps him cope with the disease.
With the help of cats you can interpret dreams:
- Black - good luck.
- Tortoiseshell - success in love.
- Redhead - to money and success in business
- White - good luck in creative affairs.
- Black and white - good luck for children. Perhaps, just like the birth of a child.
- Tabby is happiness in the house, and good luck to those living in it.
- Blue - dreams will come true.
- Calico - good luck in dealings with new and old friends.
- Two fighting cats - to a quarrel or illness
Love cats and may you have love and luck!
Source
https://www.podmoskovje.com
https://koshsps.ru/mistika.php
https://www.secret-r.net/arkhiv-publikatsij/
https://www.ellf.ru/photos
The secret power of cats
Many ancient cultures revered the cat for various reasons. Most of them saw the furry purrs as energy that could protect them from negativity. And now we are not talking about physical abilities at all.
Cats carry a uniquely powerful aura, also known as astral force, which acts as a shield against negative energy. This power extends not only to the animal itself, but to the entire family. The house and surrounding area are also protected.
Cats use their aura to protect people from intruders, ill-wishers and even spirits.
Orientation in the dark
Cats have excellent vision, 10 times better than ours at dusk. Their pupils dilate greatly in the dark, which helps them capture more light. Also, the light-sensitive cones in our pets' eyes are positioned in such a way that microlenses are formed, allowing them to capture even the slightest light. Added to all this is a wide area of vision and the need to turn their heads due to deep-set eyeballs - this is how cats have full all-round visibility. Moreover, they distinguish 6 primary colors - white, black, blue, yellow, green, purple, and another 25 shades of gray.
Magical energy
It may seem strange, but many cultures have used cats in their rituals, from the harmless to the frightening. Have you ever wondered why? The positive energy of cats makes all kinds of rituals more effective.
The presence of such a pet in the house protects a person from curses or the evil eye. When you feel that you have exhausted your inner resource and are completely empty, just pick up your cat and stroke it from neck to tail.
Thus, your auras will merge together and you will be enclosed in a force field, which will not only replenish your reserves, but also protect you from all kinds of energy attacks.
Feel the other world
It is believed that cats are guides to that world, they sense energy and see ghosts. Many explain this with stories that coincide with some events or situations, when the pet stares into space for a long time and suddenly jumps at nothing. In fact, cats simply take in information in several ways at once. By looking at their abilities described above, some situations can be easily explained. For example, a long look into emptiness means that the cat is focusing on some small and invisible object or listening to sounds. Jumps sharply - attacks something very small, for example, a midge.
Cats are able to navigate in almost complete darkness, hear with their eyes, predict disasters, heal people: the list of their abilities can go on for a long time, but the main thing here is that cats are amazing animals.
- Author: Elena Romanenko
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